Coronavirus | Couple with ‘home quarantine’ seal aboard Rajdhani Express deboarded at Kazipet

The married couple got in at Secunderabad and were on their way to New Delhi when fellow passengers spotted the seal when the husband was washing his hands

Railway authorities in Kazipet junction prepare to sanitize a coach in the Bengaluru-Delhi Rajdhani Express after a couple with a ‘home quarantine’ seal were found travelling in one of the coaches, Kazipet, Saturday, March 21, 2020

Two passengers marked with ‘home quarantine’ stamps on their hands were deboarded on Saturday morning from a Rajdhani train between Bengaluru and Delhi on Saturday, the railways said.

The couple were travelling from Secunderabad by train number 22691 KSR Bengaluru City-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, and were deboarded at Kazipet junction in Warangal district.

“2 passengers marked with mandatory quarantine were found to be travelling on Rajdhani train between Bengaluru & Delhi today. They were immediately deboarded and the entire coach was sanitised,” the Railway Ministry said in a tweet.

A railway official said the couple from Delhi have now been taken to a hospital, and the coach (B3, third AC), which was completely sanitised, was now locked. The ‘home quarantine’ seal was noticed by fellow travellers when the husband was washing his hands, the official added.

A fellow passenger travelling in the same coach too sent a WhatsApp message to the railway officials expressing concern about the two passengers.

As soon as the train reached Kazipet junction at around 10 a.m., the Railway Police, along with medical teams rushed to the compartment and deboarded the two passengers.

K. Jithender Reddy, RPF Sub Inspector at Kazipet, said the medical teams in full protective gear rushed the two passengers in a ambulance to MGM Hospital in Warangal. The couple were given full protective gear and then taken to the hospital.

Other passengers travelling in the same coach were shifted to other compartments as the train was not running full. The railway authorities sanitized the coach before the train began its onward journey after a delay of 90 minutes.

Railway sources told The Hindu that the couple had booked their tickets only this morning through current reservation. They boarded the train at Secunderabad Junction at 7.50 a.m.

Preliminary enquiries revealed that the newly married couple, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, had been to Indonesia for a holiday. They arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad on Friday evening and during the thermal screening were advised home quarantine. It is not known how they managed to leave the airport and board the Rajdhani Express this morning.

Other incidents

With an increasing number of such incidents taking place on trains, the Ministry appealed, “...Public is requested not to travel on passenger and long distance trains unless absolutely necessary. Be safe and keep others safe.”

The Ministry said four people travelling on the Godan Express (Train 11055) from Mumbai to Jabalpur on March 16 in B1 Coach tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. “They came to India from Dubai last week. All concerned have been alerted to take necessary action.”

Eight passengers who travelled on AP Sampark Kranti Express from Delhi to Ramagundam on March 13, have also tested positive for COVID-19.

“Passengers are advised to avoid non-essential travel for the safety of fellow citizens,” the railways said.

Inputs from G. Srinivasa Rao and Ravi Reddy in Telangana and Yuthika Bhargava in New Delhi